Machine for producing a plastic-covered glass container

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a machine for making a plastic covering on a rigid base article which in the illustrated form comprises a glass bottle and a conforming shrunken plastic covering thereon. The plastic is fed in oriented sheet form to the turret apparatus, cut into lengths and wrapped and seamed on successive mandrels as sleeves. Bottles are simultaneously processed to preheat condition and indexed over the sleeves, the latter telescopically assembled on the rigid base article, i.e. the bottle, and the combination carried to a heat tunnel. The plastic sleeve shrinks into snug surface fit on the adjacent surface portion of the rigid base article. The bottle is preheated in one of two embodiments by: (1) a preheat tunnel on the machine which raises the bottles from room temperature to about 200*F, or (2) the preheat is carried over as latent heat in the glass bottle from the annealing lehr, a part of the bottle manufacturing process. The machine includes novel subassemblies comprised of (1) a bottle chuck and loading station for assuring proper loading of the bottles on the machine, (2) bottle handling, (3) plastic strip handling and feed mechanism for placing oriented cut lengths onto mandrels of the turret, (4) the turret for making seamed sleeves in succession and feeding them onto registered bottles carried by the bottle handling apparatus, and (5) unloading device for transfer of the covered bottles to a conveyor and with said transfer smoothening the bottom surface of the covering on the bottle.

United States Patent 1191 Amberg et al.

[ MACHINE FOR PRODUCING A PLASTIC-COVERED GLASS CONTAINER [75]Inventors: Stephen W. Amberg, St. James;

Thomas E. Doherty, Setauket, both of N.Y.; Clarence A. Heyne, Sun City,Ariz.

[73] Assignee: Owens-Illinois Inc., Toledo, Ohio [22] Filed: Dec. 20,1971 [21] Appl. No.: 209,751

[52] U.S. Cl 156/443, l56/86,.l56/196,

51 1m.c1. ..B65c 3/12 [58] Field 61 Search 156/443, 446, 448, 458,156/475, 459, 538, 543, 566, 567, 86, 184,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,867,956 l/1959 Murrell53/296 3,346,939 10/1967 Farquhar.... 29/208 B 3,604,584 9/1971 Shank156/86 X 2,771,725 11/1956 Carter 53/292 X 3,031,370 4/1962 Shank156/567 X 2,814,173 11/1957 Holstein 53/292 Bolen 156/443 X PrimaryExaminer-Alfred L. Leavitt Assistant E.raminerDavid A. Simmons Attorney,Agent, or Firm.l. R. Nelson; E. J. Holler 1451 Apr. 9, 1974 [57]ABSTRACT The disclosure relates to a machine for making a plasticcovering on a rigid base article which in the illustrated form comprisesa glass bottle and a conforming shrunken plastic covering thereon. Theplastic is fed in oriented sheet form to the turret apparatus, cut intolengths and wrapped and seamed on successive mandrels as sleeves.Bottles are simultaneously processed to preheat condition and indexedover the sleeves, the latter telescopically assembled on the rigid basearticle, i.e. the bottle, and the combination carried to a heat tunnel.The plastic sleeve shrinks into snug surface fit on the adjacent surfaceportion of the rigid base article.

The bottle is preheated in one of two embodiments by: (l) a preheattunnel on the machine which raises the bottles from room temperature toabout 200F, or (2) the preheat is carried over as latent heat in theglass bottle from the annealing lehr, a part of the bottle manufacturingprocess.

The machine includes novel subassemblies comprised of (l) a bottle chuckand loading station for assuring I proper loading of the bottles on themachine, (2)

bottle handling, (3) plastic strip handling and feed mechanism forplacing oriented cut lengths onto 'mandrels of the turret, (4) theturret for making seamed sleeves in succession and feeding them ontoregistered bottles carried by the bottle handling apparatus, and (5)unloading device for transfer of the covered bottles to a conveyor andwith said transfer smoothening the bottom surface of the covering on thebottle. I

11 Claims, 39 Drawing-Figures FATENIEDAPR 91974 sum '02 or 27 INVENTORSSTEVEN W AMBERG. THOMAS E. IDHEPTY. CLARENCE A. HEYNE.

J.R. NELSON a E.J.HOLLER.

ATT'YS.

MENIED APR 9 I874 .SHiET 03 0F 27 VI L INVENTORS STEVEN WAMBERG. THOMASE. DOI-IERTY BY CLARBVCE A. HEYAE.

'm NELSON & swam:

ATT'YS.

PATENTEDRPR 91914 3.802.942

" saw an [IF 27 INVENTORS STEVEN W. AMBERG. THOMAS E. DOHERTY BYCLARENCE A. HEYNE.

' JR. NELSON a ATTYS E.J. HOLLER.

PATENTEBAPR 9 e914 $EET '05 HF- 27 INVENTORS STEVEN W AMBERG. THOMAS E.DOHERTY.

CLARENCE A. HE YNE.

JRNELSON 8 E. J. HOLLER ATT'YS.

PATENFED APR 9 i974 3802.942 m! as w 27 54 INVI'IN'IORS STEVEN w AMBERG..w THOMAS E. DOHERTY BY CLARENCE AHEYNE.

JR. NELSON a PATENTEB APR 9 1974 sum 07 or 27 I NVEN TORS STEVEN WAMBERG. THOMAS E. DOI-IERTX CLARENCE A. HEYNE.

JR. NELSON 8 E.J. HOLLER.

ATT YS.

PATENFEDAPR 9 i914 saw as or 2? INVENTORS STEVEN W AMBERG.

THOMAS E. DG-IERTY CLARENCE AHEYNE.

J.R. NELSON 8 EJ. HOLLER.

ATT 'YS.

PATENTEDRPR 9 1924 m nm O RRY T EE N BHH mmmA I W G N N fir EM STQ J.R.NELSON 8 Ed. HOLLER.

ATTI'YS.

:ATENTED R 9I974 3,802,9A2

saw 10 ar 2? INVENTORS STEVEN W AMBERG. THOMAS E. DOHERTY BY: CLARENCEA. HEYNE.

JR. NELSON a EJ. HOLLER.

ATT'YS.

PATENYEU 9 SHEET 11 0F I27 INVENTORS STEVEN W AMBERG.

Y THOMAS E. DOHERTY B CLARENCE A. HYNE.

JR. NELSON a E. J. HOLLER.

ATT'YS.

PATENTEUAPR 9 m4 sum 12 HF 27 s m m M STEVEN W AMBERG.

THOMAS E. DOHERTY.

CLARENCE A. HYNE. J. R. NELSON 8 EJ. HOLLER.

ATT'YS.

PATENTEH APR 9 I974 F IG E sum :13 or 2? INVENTORS STEVEN W AMBERG. BYTHOMAS E. DOHERTX CLARENCE A. HEYNE.

JR. NELSON 8 Ed. HOLLER.

ATT'YS.

PATENTED APR 9 1974 saw '15 or 27 FIG. [7A

J.R. NELSON 8 EJ. HOLLER.

ATT'YS.

PATENTEBAPR 9:914 (802,942

sum 16 0F 27 wuvo CYCLE.

RESETTING MANDRELS TO BEGIN wmn: CYCLE.

INVENTORS STEVEN W AMBERG. BY THOMAS E. IDHERTY.

CLARENCE A. HYNE.

JR. NELSON 8 EJ. HOLLER.

ATT'YS.

,ATENTEDAPR SIBM 3.802.942

sum 170F27 umwuuumnaw mum"!!! INVENTORS STEVEN w. AMBERG THOMAS E.DG-IERTY BY: 'CLARENCE A.HEYNE.

J.R. NELSON 61 Ed. HOLLER. ATT'YS.

sum-1am 27 PATENTEB PR 9 INVENTORS STEVEN W. AMBERG. THOMAS E. DCHERTYCLARENCE A. HE YNE.

JR NELSON 8 EJ. HOLLER. ATT'YS PATENTEDAPR 9 I974 snm 19UF 27 INVENTORSSTEVEN W AMBEQG. .THOMAS E. [XJHERTY CLARENCE A. HEYNE.

JR. NELSON ,8 E.J. HOLLB? ATT'YS.

1. A machine for making plastic coverings and assembling themindividually on articles comprising: plural article holding chucks, anarticle conveyor having said article holding chucks spaced therealongand supporting said articles from near one axial end thereof in avertical and downwardly depending position, means driving the conveyorin a horizontally extending path including an arcuate end turn portionthereof, turret means rotatable about a vertical axis that is coaxialwith the arcuate end turn portion of the conveyor path, plural mandrelssupported on said turret means for movement therewith and rotation abouttheir vertical axes, the mandrel axes being at substantially the sameradius from the turret axis as the radius of said arcuate end turn ofthe conveyor, the arcuate end turn portion of said horizontal path beingin an overlying vertically spaced relation to said mandrels on theturret, drive means connected with said turret means for rotating thelatter in synchronism with the article conveyor, means feeding plasticstrip material of predetermined length to the mandrels as they movethrough a feeding station adjacent the turret, each mandrel includingmeans for attaching the leading end portion of a plastic strip to themandrel, means on said turret engaging the mandrel and rotating it apredetermined amount responsive to movement of the turret beyond thefeeding station, said rotation being sufficient to at least wind thestrip about the mandrel and overlap the ends thereof in sleeve form,means on the turret for joining the opposite ends together of the woundstrip forming a plastic sleeve on the mandrel, means for axially movingthe sleeve from the mandrel and telescopically over the lower end of anarticle on the article conveyor during movement in the end turn portionof its said path, and means operable along said conveyor path forshrinking the plastic sleeve in surface engaging, conformingrelationship on said article.
 2. A machine for making plastic coveringsand assembling them individually on container articles having a mouthopening at the upper end thereof comprising: plural article holdingchucks, an article conveyor having said article holding chucks spacedtherealong, means driving the conveyor in a path past a loading stationand through an arcuate end turn portion, means for loading containerarticles on the said chucks at the loading station, each of said chuckssupporting the container by engagement of the upper end adjacent saidmouth opening, turret means rotatable about a vertical axis that iscoaxial with the arcuate end turn portion of the conveyor, pluralmandrels supported on said turret means for movement therewith androtation about their vertical axes, the mandrel axes being atsubstantially the same radius from the turret axis as the radius of saidarcuate end turn of the conveyor, the arcuate end turn portion of saidpath being in overlying vertical spaced relation to said mandrels on theturret, drive means connected with said turret means for rotating thelatter in synchronism with the article conveyor, means feeding plasticstrip material of predetermined length to the mandrels as they movethrough a feeding station adjacent the turret, each mandrel includingmeans for attaching the leading end portion of a plastic strip to themandrel, means on said turret engaging the mandrel and rotating it apredetermined amount responsive to movement of the turret beyond thefeeding station, said rotation being sufficient to at least wind thestrip about the mandrel and overlap the ends thereof in sleeve form,means on the turret for joining the opposite ends together of the woundstrip forming a plastic sleeve on the mandrel, and means for axiallymoving the sleeve vertically from the mandrel and telescopically over acontainer on the article conveyor during movement in the end turnportion of its said path.
 3. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein theplastic of the sleeves is a thermally shrinkable material and theconveyor path includes a heating portion subsequent to said end turnportion, means operable along said heating portion of said conveyor pathfor applying heat to said sleeve on the container sufficient to shrinkthe plastic of the sleeve into snug conforming relationship on saidcontainer.
 4. The machine defined in claim 2, wherein said means movingthe sleeve from the mandrel comprises a stripper element, cam-operatedmeans connected to said element normally supporting it in a retractedposition below the sleeve on the mandrel, and a cam on the turretengageable with said last-named means for raising said element to araised position whereupon the sleeve is moved vertically from themandrel to encircle at least a portion of the container while moving inthe End turn portion on the conveyor.
 5. The machine defined in claim 2,wherein said conveyor path extends beyond said heating portion andthrough an unloading station, a horizontally extending member defining aflat surface at said unloading station underlying the conveyor path,means on said conveyor guiding the chucks downwardly toward saidhorizontal member and firmly engaging the bottom end of the containersheld by the article chucks on said member, thereby smoothing the bottomend plastic layer on the container to form a stable bearing surface forthe latter, and means on the conveyor operable upon further movement ofthe chucks in the unloading station for disengaging each chuck from thecontainer.
 6. A machine for making plastic sleeves and assembling themindividually on articles comprising: an article conveyor including meansholding articles in longitudinally spaced apart upright relationthereon, means driving the conveyor in a path through an arcuate endturn portion, turret means rotatable about an axis that is coaxial withthe arcuate end turn portion of the conveyor, plural mandrels supportedon said turret means for movement threrwith and rotation about theircentral axes, the mandrel axes being at substantially the same radiusfrom the turret axis as the radius of said arcuate end turn portion ofthe conveyor path, the arcuate end turn portion of said path being in anoverlying vertical spaced relation to said mandrels on the turret, drivemeans connected with said turret means for rotating the latter insynchronism and registry with movement of articles on the articleconveyor in said end turn portion, means feeding plastic strip materialof predetermined length to the mandrels as they move through a feedingstation adjacent the turret, each mandrel including means for attachingthe leading end portion of a plastic strip to the mandrel, means on saidturret engaging the mandrel and rotating it a predetermined amountresponsive to movement of the turret beyond the feeding station, saidrotation being sufficient to at least wind the strip about the mandreland overlap the ends thereof in sleeve form, means on the turret forjoining the opposite ends together of the wound strip forming a plasticsleeve on the mandrel, and means for axially moving the sleevevertically upwardly from the mandrel and telescopically over an articleon the article conveyor during movement in registry with said mandrel inthe end turn portion of its said path.
 7. The machine defined in claim 6wherein the plastic of the sleeves is a thermally shrinkable materialand the conveyor path includes a heating portion subsequent to said endturn portion, means operable along said heating portion of said conveyorpath for applying heat to said sleeve on the article sufficient toshrink the plastic of the sleeve into snug conforming relationship onsaid article.
 8. The machine defined in claim 6, wherein said meansmoving the sleeve from the mandrel comprises a stripper element, camoperated means connected to said element normally supporting it in aretracted position below the sleeve on the mandrel, and a cam on theturret engageable with said last-named means for raising said element toa raised position whereupon the sleeve is moved vertically from themandrel to encircle at least a portion of the container while moving inthe end turn portion on the conveyor.
 9. The machine defined in claim 7,wherein the conveyor path includes a pre-heat portion in advance of saidend turn portion, means operating in said pre-heat portion of theconveyor path for applying heat to the article and maintain apredetermined elevated temperature of the article as it enters the endturn portion of the path.
 10. The machine defined in claim 7, whereinthe means operable along said heating portion of the conveyor pathcomprises an elongated tunnel-like oven chamber arranged for themovement of the conveyor and articles longitudinally theretHrough, andmeans for maintaining an elevated temperature in said chamber.
 11. Themachine defined in claim 9, wherein the means operating in said preheatportion of the conveyor path comprises an elongated tunnel-like heatchamber arranged for the movement of the conveyor and articleslongitudinally therethrough and means for maintaining an elevatedtemperature in said chamber.